GRAND JURY ISSUES FINAL REPORT ON FISHER

Oklahoma’s ninth multicounty grand jury issued its final report, much of which focused on former Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher and the Oklahoma Insurance Department.

“This grand jury met for 46 days over 18 months, issued 1,623 subpoenas, heard from 227 witnesses and assisted 99 local and state law enforcement agencies,” Attorney General Drew Edmondson said. “During the course of its service, the grand jury issued 21 total indictments naming 14 individuals on 79 separate counts.”

According to Edmondson, in the Fisher investigation alone the grand jury returned eight indictments naming three defendants on 11 separate counts, including failure to register a non-exempt charitable organization, failure to provide receipts for contributions in excess of $2.00, failure to report contributions received by a non-exempt charitable organization, embezzlement, failure to pay over to the state, false claims against the state, bribery, filing false tax return and perjury. Named in those indictments were Fisher, his former special assistant Opal Ellis and the Fisher Foundation Inc.

“Our examination revealed blatant disregard for state statutes as well as policies and procedures,” the report said. The report further stated Fisher, “responded to this body’s investigation as if his conduct is without charge and innocuous.”

Edmondson said his office will soon petition the Oklahoma Supreme Court to empanel another multicounty grand jury.

“There is still much work to do,” Edmondson said. “Some of the investigations from this grand jury will carry over and new investigations will begin. The Multicounty Grand Jury is a powerful tool for law enforcement, and I hope to have a new grand jury up and running quickly.”